Chances for Regular Decision Admission and Getting a Full Merit Scholarship

Colleges and Universities A-Z Emory University
1

<p>This is a general chance post. I am 16 now and a junior. I will put "potential" next to things that are likely b/c of my work and the other stuff has happened. I would like to know what are my chances for getting into Emory and then furthermore getting a 70%-full merit scholarship to Emory University. (I am asking this under the assumption that if I do get a full merit scholarship or close to it, I'll only have to pay for room and board. Please tell me if the Emory Scholars program works in a different way.)</p>

<p>Subjective:</p>

<p>Ethnicity: South Asian American (Pakistani)</p>

<p>Age: 17</p>

<p>Schools: Large Public in IN (9)
Small Private in TN (10-11)
Medium Public in TN (12)</p>

<p>Family: MD (Dad), Master's (Mom), 2 younger siblings, 180K income (for financial aid)</p>

<p>Recs (Potential- I've talked to the teachers about what they will write): AP Euro History Teacher, AP Bio Teacher, Community College Professor (Very Good-They talked about mow I found motivation and became a role model.)</p>

<p>Essays (Potential) : One on being an agnostic Pakistani Democrat in Tennessee, One on how I had no passion for anything and performed in a mediocre manner but found a deep passion and love for math and science which led me to getting very good grades in the first semester of my senior year and winning a few state math/science competitions my senior year as well.</p>

<p>Intended Major: Physics or Chemistry (Solid)</p>

<p>Objective:</p>

<p>Grades (9-11): A-/B+ Range in All Honors Classes at Standard Pace and 2 AP Classes: AP Chemistry and AP Calculus BC</p>

<p>Senior Course Load and Grades (Potential): All A's (97% or better) in AP Biology, AP European History, AP English Literature, AP US Government, AP Macroeconomics, and AP Psychology at School and A's in Organic Chemistry with Lab and Calculus 3 at a local community college</p>

<p>GPA/Class Rank (Potential): 4.05 Ranked in Top 25% in 300 Students</p>

<p>SAT: 2400 ACT: 36 SAT Chemistry: 800 SAT Math II: 800</p>

<p>AP Exam Scores (Self-Studying for all besides Chem and Calc BC) (Potential):</p>

<p>5's in AP Chemistry, AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C-Mechanics, AP Physics C-Electricity and Magnetism, AP Computer Science A, AP English Language, AP US History, AP World History</p>

<p>Extra-Cirricular Activities:</p>

<p>Speech and Debate (10-12): State 2nd Place (10), 350 Tournament Points</p>

<p>Piano (9, 11-12): Gold Star Rating in Region (9), Did Well in Regional Festival (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Mock Trial (11): Lawyer- 2nd Place in Region</p>

<p>Young Democrats (10-11): VP (11)</p>

<p>NHS and Mu Alpha Theta Member (10-12)</p>

<p>Community Service (10-12): 200 Hours in Mosque and Science Center; Mathcounts Coach (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Math Club (9, 12): President (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Student Newspaper Member (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Cross Country JV (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Research (12-Potential): Work in Chemistry Lab with Community College Professor</p>

<p>Other Awards/Distinctions: Regional Math Test Top 5 (9, 10), National Merit Commended Scholar (12), National AP Scholar (12-Potential), Published Article in Local Chemistry Journal (12-Potential), State Math Problem Solving Test Top 10 (12-Potential)</p>

<p>Awards to be sent after initial submission of application (all potential): </p>

<p>Intel STS Semi-Finalist in Chemistry (Sent in Late January)</p>

<p>USA Physics Olympiad Semi-Finalist and AMC 12 Top 1% (Mid-February)</p>

<p>USA Chem Olympiad Top in Region and USA Biology Olympiad Semi-Finalist (Early March)</p>

2

<p>Congratulations on your SAT scores! I think you are competitive for admission, and might have a chance at a merit scholarship. </p>

<p>Consider sticking with your current extracurriculars, two years of one activity is more impressive than one year of two activities.</p>

<p>The merit scholarships range from 2/3 tuition to full ride (tuition, room and board). Do pay attention to the procedures, your high school will need to nominate you early in your senior year.</p>

3

<p>@chazsf, thank you. BUMP…can others please give their opinion or some advice?</p>

4

<p>Based on your previous posts, it sounds like receiving significant merit aid (effectively a full ride) is very important to you and that you’re concerned about some lower grades and your non-top-10% rank. Given that, I would encourage you to apply for financial aid at Emory’s Oxford College (deadline is November 15th). The competition for merit aid isn’t as competitive it is at many schools and you’d likely have an easier time getting involved in research as a top student at Oxford–my understanding is that unless you receive a 2-year scholarship, your financial aid will continue to the College of Arts and Sciences when you continue from Oxford.</p>

<p>If you decide to apply, I’d be happy to PM you some tips.</p>

5

<p>@aigiqinf, I’m not interested in Oxford College. It’s separate fro the main university from what I know. Please give opinions on my chances for a scholarship at only the main Emory University.</p>

6

<p>I don’t know why anyone would come to Emory to be a physics major. Chemistry, on the other hand, you should do.</p>

7

<p>BUMP…I learned that apparently you transfer to the main campus of Emory after two years as an Oxford College student. Does that mean that when you graduate, you only get a degree from Emory University and don’t have to list that you went to Oxford College for the first two years? Also, do students who stay on the main campus of Emory look down on those who join them from Oxford in their junior year?</p>

8

<p>What I’m saying is that, even if all of your many assumptions come true, you’re not promised significant merit aid at any top school. Oxford gives you a great chance at receiving huge amounts of merit aid while still attending a top 20 schools. Remember that you don’t have to be 100% committed to a school in order to apply–but note that you need to apply by the earlier November deadline to be considered.</p>

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<p>After two years at Oxford (3 semesters if you bring in a lot of AP credit), you will automatically continue to the “main campus.”</p>

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<p>When you graduate from Oxford, you will be admitted to the degree of Associate of Arts (the school has to grant you a degree–it’s an accreditation technicality). You will then earn the exact same Bachelor’s degree as students who began at the Atlanta campus. You don’t have to list that you went to Oxford on job applications or resumes, but it will be noted on your transcript, so graduate schools will see it. Honestly, though graduate schools (particularly law and medical schools) couldn’t care less.</p>

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<p>Some do–of course, some look down on the minorities are the poorer students. It’s the nature of being at an elite school: everyone wants to make themselves feel superior. Those who look down on Oxford students are the minority and it’s frankly irrelevant–professors won’t know that you’re from Oxford and neither will other students, after your first semester.</p>

9

<p>@aigiqinf, you’ve given a lot to think about. You said it’s possible to finish Oxford of Emory in three semesters. If you took a total of 18 AP classes, would they somehow let you finish in just a year?</p>

10

<p>I’m afraid not. Oxford will only grant you 16 hours (1 semester) of AP credit</p>

11

<p>As I’m sure many posts here have mentioned, most people consider Oxford to be a backdoor to Emory. While high school GPAs and SAT scores don’t say anything about the applicant beyond academics (and even then they are arguably not very good predictors of college grades), in a world where top colleges like Emory will deny many qualified applicants because the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of spots, I still think Oxford is a backdoor for admissions purposes (their incoming class stats are on par with those of UGA), not that the students are necessarily inferior to Emory students. This issue become even more pronounced when you factor in merit scholarships that the OP was asking about; Oxford Scholars automatically become Emory Scholars when they transfer to Emory and still get the full tuition benefits that Emory Scholars get, but of course the academic and EC criteria to be an Oxford scholar is much lower than to be an Emory Scholar. There is a small population of Oxford students that excel once they transfer to Emory, though the majority I know often have very low GPAs (presumably below 3.0). I don’t try to judge anyone just on their grades but at least this is what I’ve seem happen. And very few people at Emory will directly make fun of a specific Oxford transfer, but some will say bad things about oxford transfers in general behind their back.</p>

<p>Also if you’re thinking about pre-med, Emory certainly has a large pre-med population here but in the past 4 years only about 51% of students that apply to med school get in somewhere. While is is higher than the national average of around 40 to 44%, it still lags behind that of many ives, where 60-80% of premeds will get into at least one med school.</p>